I love the concept of souvenirs - a little piece of each place you visit, brought home to cherish. However, with as often as I travel, I can't afford to spend money on trinkets I won't use like these 10 worst souvenirs. Instead, I look for everyday items that will remind me of my destination...

BOOKS: Being a book-aholic, I can't resist an airport bookstore! For years I've been buying a new book everytime I travel and now have a shelf full of memories.

I've already got Kelly Corrigan's best-selling new book, "Lift" packed for the Disneyland "World of Color" debut event I'm attending next week. I'm looking forward to seeing this spectacular new attaction for myself - and relaxing by the gorgeous Grand Californian pool with my new book!

CDS: Having a new music to get to know while you're exploring a a unique part of the world is a great way to enhance your travel experience. Plus, you'll feel transported back to that destination every time you listen to the CD afterwards! We took the brand new release from One eskimO with us to our cabin on Memorial Weekend and enjoyed having their easy-going, upbeat melodies in the background during our family activities.


ACCESSORIES: Buying a bag or bracelet while on vacation gives you something to show off when you're back home. I love receiving compliments on a piece of jewlery or purse I've acquired abroad and being able to say "I found this in the most charming little shop in the Alps". Buying a special accessory for your trip before you leave also works - we took this cute, tropical tote with us to phoenix recently and my kids now call it the "Arizona Bag".

HOME DECOR: Why not fill your home with visual remembrances of great vacations gone by? Christmas ornaments from each destination create a beautiful tree full of memories; picture frames make displaying your favorite travel snapshots a breeze.

GIVEAWAY

We've got a prize package with each of the items featured in this article - the brand new One eskimO CD, Kelly Caplan's chart-topping new book "Lift" and that cute travel tote to carry them in!

HOW TO ENTER
Leave a comment telling us about your favorite souvenir: Where did you get it and why do you love it?

EXTRA ENTRIES
Earn TWO extra entries for each of the following:
- Sign up for the Traveling Mom newsletter (it's free and rad!)
- Tweet the following: "@travelingmom is giving away a fun travel prize pack! http://tiny.cc/g459e #travelingmom #giveaway"

This giveaway will end June 8th 2010 at 11:59 pm MST - winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted via email. Good luck!

For more Souvenir Tips, check out these great articles:

Christmas Ornaments: Souvenirs and Memories

Top Ten Worst Souvenirs: Spare Me The Junk

Common Souvenir Mistakes

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